Chapter 7-"The Sky We Once Dreamed Of"

The wind was calm as the two of them sat on the hill, overlooking the sleepy town below. Akaru could still feel the warmth of her hand in his — small, soft, and unexpectedly steady despite everything.

She had taken it so naturally.
He blinked and looked at their fingers intertwined."You’re full of surprises," he said.
Himari gave him a sidelong glance, then chuckled lightly. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just making sure you don't fall on your face while walking."
"I’m sitting down."
"Then consider it a preemptive measure."

She smiled again, and he felt a flutter in his chest — not the romantic kind, but something strange… like a ripple in reality.
Then, something shimmered past them — a butterfly.
But not just any butterfly.
It glowed. Not metaphorically, not poetically — it literally glowed, like it was made of stained glass catching the morning sun, each wing a kaleidoscope of impossible colors. It circled them slowly, as if studying them.

"Himari, do you see that?"
She stared in awe. “It’s… beautiful.”
And then — the world changed.
The grass beneath them vanished. The sound of rustling leaves was replaced by the rush of wind. They were suddenly standing — no, floating — high above the clouds. The vast sky stretched out around them, endless and blue. Birds soared by, completely unbothered by their presence.
Himari gasped, her eyes wide with wonder.

Akaru looked around in disbelief. “Are we dreaming?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she reached out — not for him, but for the sky itself. Her fingers trembled slightly as she whispered, “So this is what it feels like… flying.”

The moment lasted seconds, or maybe minutes. Time felt blurred.
Then, just as quickly as it came, the sky vanished.
They were back on the hill, sitting in the same place. The wind returned, the sounds of cicadas and rustling trees grounding them again.

The butterfly was gone.
Himari looked at Akaru, then burst into laughter — bright and honest.
He looked at her, dazed. “What was that?”
Still smiling, she replied softly, “Maybe the sky just wanted to say hello.”